Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-04-01
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
MARCH.

Il
Come, Phyllis, the reign Of the Winter is
past,
otis tSme for the earth to awaken:
The sheep are all frozen In Springs early blast
And the Sheperd with ague 10 shaken.
The ice on the river /. eight inches thick,
But the reign of the Winter IL over; 8
Go into the barnyard and nose round the rick
For the odor Of last Summers clover.
Though the grounding aud crocus creep into
their holes r-.- ~ Fl
It's Spring, and the almanac shows it.
Though polar wave over the universe rolls
It's Spring, and we.don't care'who knows 1t.
Robert J. Burdette. x" "a ~
FLOWERS FOR THE FARM.
Among the fragrant flowers, the
sweet pea stands unrivalled. 1t grows
in every shade of color, from white to
pink, purple and red; and if the bios
SONS are picked, and no seed allowed
to form, it will give a profusion of
bloom for many months. No flower
can be finer for cutting. and it is as
easily grown as the garden pea. 1t
should be planted as early as the
ground can be worked, and covered
quite deep.
Another common flower of wonder
full fragrance and delicate beauty, is
the old-fashioned grass pink. 1t grows
from the root, and as it is Il hardy
perennial, will only need to be reset
once in three or four years. A small
circular bed, raised six inches above
the level of the lawn. and located where
the fragrance will reach the living
rooms of the house. and the flowers
| can be seen from the windows, will
| add to the pleasure of the housekeep-
| er.
Two other flowers useful for cutting
and delightfully."- fragrant, are alyssum
and mignonette; both grow best from
seeds sown where they are to stand, as
they do not transplant well. The alys-
sum will bloom a month and go to
seed, and then, if cut close to the
ground just after rain, it wial make a
second growth and bloom as freely as
at first. Our bed was out back the
last week in July, and September /,
was as fresh and full of bloom as it
was in July.
For mass of flowers 80 produce a
pleasing effect, and to give constant
bloom from June till November, there
is no plant that excels the petunia. 1t
is not best to depend neutrality-suspicious.,
for although it is hardy and will seed it.
self, it has a tendencyto run out and
show plain colors. and seed should be
saved from the choicest, or bought each
year. 1t bears transplanting well and
grows vigorously.
SMALL FRUIT.
Mr.. Sharp of Richmond writes to
Farm and Home the following about
raising small fruits showing that the
business is we'll enough but not Ger.
tain bonanza every year.
There has been very little money in
fruit culture the past'two years:fsr any
of us; we are not getting rich: out of it.
know something about it. havingwo
ed at il several years, beginning with
half an acre, and now have ten acres,
allin berries and currants Ny acquain.
tances, judging from appearances, think
I have done remarkably well on it, on
the old run down farm. They see me
sell 100 bushels off an acre for 5000 O,
1 $500 and say '4Ghsmy, he lis getting
rich'' They don't stop to think that il
takes three years or more. as "a general
thing, and an extra good season to give
! 400 bushels per acre and that it costs
1916 to 500 to prepare that acre and
get it cared for the fFstyear. The sec.
ond year never yields any more than
fruit enough to pay for cultivation; and
the yield is generally according to the
work put on it.
They do not think of the 800 or
more invested in crates and baskets nee
essary to market the fruit. of the bas-
kets that may be soiled Or lost, and era
ties broken or never returned and above
| adj. they do not think of the risk of no
crop which has to be NUN by every fruit
! grower in this severe climate. He is
liable to have every red,raspberry plant
winter killed, as have, He is also liza
| bic to a late spring frost that may blast
every blossom if it does not kill the
| vines, and later runs the risk of drouth
that may reduce the crop: one-half, All
these things must be considered,
or should be before starting in the bust
ness. TO those WHO like sthe business,
whesa we have a good season, good
crops and good prices (Which. by the
| way, seldom come togetheT there is Of
course pleasure and puofitin it, asthere.
is pleasure in success in any business.
It is also interesting to test new va.
rieties and compare them. And some
years there is money in the business,
| but as have said before, in order to
get money out of it a man has 80 run
greater risk than in almost any other
branch of agriculture When you come
| to average one year withanother a man
who sticks to raising potatoes or some
other crop, if he exercises good judy
ment in handling the same and using
the same amount of fertilizer and labor.